Nineteen Intervening Years
by KieranEshana
Summary: The time between the death of Voldemort and sending his son to Hogwarts passes rather unexceptionally for Draco Malfoy


Spoilers: Deathly Hallows

Disclaimer: Not mine, Not making money. Don't sue.

When the dust had settled from the Voldemort's defeat the three Malfoy's were quickly taken into custody by what remained of the Ministry. All were interrogated and held as Death Eaters.

It wasn't as though they could deny it; Lucius and Draco both bore the Mark. In the end, Lucius was returned to a Azkaban, sans Dementors – they just weren't trustworthy enough. Draco was released and fined. Both his parents and, surprisingly, Potter had given statements that he had only done what he had because the Dark Lord held the lives of his family over his head. It grated him a bit that Potter inferred, rather clearly, that he thought Draco was a coward and a fool.

Something Potter could never understand was that, while the Boy-Who-Lived had been groomed to be a Savior and sacrifice, Draco had been raised to be a Malfoy, not to die for any given cause, not matter the cause. He was not a hero because he was not meant to be. He survived; that was success enough to fulfill any expectations of him.

He and his mother returned to their manor, several thousand galleons lighter, but not too much the worse for wear. It took about a month of skulking through the vast halls and sleeping in their respective, outgrown beds for them to come separately, but simultaneously, to the decision that they did not wish to remain at the manor.

Draco consulted his mother and he and Narcissa agreed to put the place on the market. It took them a month to sort through the various heirlooms and family history and have it all moved to the Malfoy's London townhouse – much like the Black's Grimmauld Place had been.

During that time, Draco initiated a search for a Potion's Master willing to take him on. He had always been good at Potions, no matter what the Gryffindors cried about favoritism. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life, not that he _needed_ to do anything, but he knew that he did not want to follow in Lucius' footsteps at the Ministry. If such a thing were possible for an ex-Death Eater and Malfoy scion.

Eventually, some weeks after he and his mother were settled in London, he found a Master in Russia who was willing to take him on a trial basis that coming October, baring his good behavior, of course. He spent the next few month's in the lab of their home reviewing everything he had ever learned about Potions in class and in his private studies with Professor Snape - who he found he missed more than he thought he would and respected more than he had already admitted to himself. It was a minor revelation, but unexpected, none-the-less.

He signed over the management of his estate to his mother. Narcissa had proven herself more than adequate and quite tenacious in the protection of him and his interests. He set up a sizable account separate from the main estate for himself, to use during his apprenticeship.

He left with little ceremony in the fall. He had no friends to say good-bye to; Goyle had been incarcerated for use of Unforgivables and sympathizing with the Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts. None of his other childhood companions had kept in contact outside of a brief letter from Blaise Zabini to let Draco know he and his family had settle in Germany and were safe. Pansy was still missing, though not so much by Draco.

He found that Russia was cold and his studies exhausting. He forbore the cold and gave his studies everything he had been too lazy to give them during his Hogwarts' days. His father would have had no reason to complain. Not that Draco still thought about what Lucius would have said regarding his life. New start, blank slate and all that.

His talent for Potions proved true and the Master kept him on. He advanced swiftly and impressed those in-the-know with his work. His second year in Russia, Draco met a lovely pureblooded girl apprenticing under the same master. They dated for awhile and eventually agreed to marry when they completed their studies. He did not love her and she did not love him but they worked well together and a partnership was better than a brood-mare. He was the last Malfoy, after all.

They returned England after their marriage and set up a lab in the London house. The manor had sold to some nouveau-riche Mudblood family. He didn't regret it, though he thought his mother might. Times change, and such.

When his son was born it was clear that both he and Katherine adored the boy. Draco set out to raise his son, using his own childhood as a stepping stone and template. Draco showered affection on Scorpius, as Lucius had denied his son. The boy was taught Wizarding history and customs to the same exacting standards at Draco, but he was not held to the same standards when it came to what makes a Wizard great. Such attitudes were not acceptable, even in old families, after the Reconstruction that had taken place while he was in Russia.

Years passed without any real events marking them. He attempted to shield his son from the worst of the past and still raise him to be a fine and proud Malfoy. He and Katherine worked on in their lab, publishing and experimenting. They made something of a name for themselves in the academic community. Draco thought that it might, in part, make up for the shame laid on the family by his and parents actions during the Second Rising – as it was now called.

Scorpius turned eleven and received his Hogwarts' letter right on schedule. It gave Draco some discomfort to think of sending his son to that place. Draco had never succeeded there and there would be the children of too many schoolmate's that might hold Draco's actions against his son. Merlin knew that had been true of Draco's student days. But he also took into account that Potter's children were there, one even in the same year as Scorpius. With all the attention they would gather, not many would have time for a lowly, failure- of- a- Death- Eater's son. He decided the boy would go to Hogwarts.

Then he wondered if Lucius had agonized over the same decision when Draco's letter came. He thought he might have and he wasn't sure how he felt about his father knowing the stigma his actions would bring to his son and not caring; in fact, actively manipulating Draco to serve his cause. Draco reminded himself that he no longer cared what his father thought and took Scorpius to Diagon Alley for his supplies. They met no scrawny, unkempt boy heroes during their trip.

He took his son to the train on September first. He and Katherine did not socialize with the other parents. His family kept to itself. He told his son to behave, write his mother, and study hard, then embraced him the way Lucius had not when Draco left for Hogwarts his first time.

While Scorpius said his goodbyes to his mother Draco looked up and caught the Golden Trio staring his way. He saw Weasely make a snide comment only to be chastised by his wife. Potter met his eyes. Draco nodded, put his son on the train, and escorted his wife home. Katherine went to the lab immediately. Draco took out his old school broom for the first time since he thought his son to fly, several years before. He traveled over London letting the wind and speed wash him clean for the first time since the night atop the Astronomy Tower and Dumbledore's subsequent fall.


End file.
